Anticancer compositions comprising methenamine

Abstract

The invention is directed to anti-cancer compositions comprising methenamine or its derivatives or conjugates, and to use of such methenamine containing compositions to treat cancer.

1 . An anti-cancer composition comprising effective amount of methenamine or its derivative and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
   
   
       2 . The anti-cancer composition as in  claim 1 , wherein methenamine or its derivative is formulated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
   
   
       3 . The composition of  claim 1  for administration by a mode selected from the group consisting of oral, parenteral, and non-parenteral modes of delivery.  
   
   
       4 . The anti-cancer composition as in  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises methenamine derivatives selected from the group consisting of methenamine mandelate, methenamine hippurate, and methenamine sulfosalicylate.  
   
   
       5 . The anti-cancer composition as in  claim 1 , wherein the methenamine composition comprises one or more methenamine units linked to another molecule.  
   
   
       6 . A method of treating a patient having cancer comprising administering to the patient an anti-cancer composition comprising methenamine and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
   
   
       7 . A method of treating a patient having cancer as in  claim 6 , wherein administering comprises using a mode of administration selected from the group consisting of oral, parenteral and non-parenteral delivery.  
   
   
       8 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein administering comprises using a mode selected from the group consisting of oral, intramuscular, rectal, intravenous, intra-tumor, and intracelially delivery.  
   
   
       9 . A method as in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of administering to the patient an agent that lowers the pH of an extracellular microenvironment at cancer sites in the patient's body.  
   
   
       10 . A method as in  claim 9 , wherein the step of administering a pH-lowering agent comprises administering an agent selected from the group consisting of butyric acid, glucose, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and a respiratory inhibitor.  
   
   
       11 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the pH lowering step comprises administering a respiratory inhibitor or glucose hydrolysis enhancer and the respiratory inhibitor or glucose hydrolysis enhancer is selected from the group consisting of diphosphopyridine nucleotide, m-Iodobenzylguanidine, or other chemicals.  
   
   
       12 . A method as in  claim 6 , further comprising a step of increasing a local temperature in a region of the body comprising said cancer using a tool.  
   
   
       13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said increasing temperature step comprises using a mode selected from the group consisting of direct heating, microwave heating, light-based heating, and heating of other physics means.  
   
   
       14 . A method as in  claim 6 , further comprising using a tool for decreasing a local pH value in a region of the body containing cancer.  
   
   
       15 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein using a tool to decrease a local pH comprises using a tool that causes ischemia in a region of the body comprising said cancer.  
   
   
       16 . A method of making a methenamine containing compound for treating a cancer patient comprising providing a compound comprising methenamine and adding a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier appropriate for an administration route of said compound.  
   
   
       17 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein said methenamine containing compound comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of methenamine, urotropin, a methenamine salt, a methenamine derivative, a chemical having more than one methenamine unit, a chemical having multiple R groups conjugated to at least one methenamine unit, a compound having a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for injection, a compound having a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for oral ingestion, a compound having a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier appropriate for non-parenteral administration.  
   
   
       18 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein said providing step comprises providing a methenamine containing compound having a dosage unit appropriate for treating a cancer patient in a treatment protocol.  
   
   
       19 . A method to generate an addutive or synergistic anticancer effect by co-administration of the anticancer composition of  claim 1  with another anticancer therapy.  
   
   
       20 . A method as in the  claim 19 , the other anticancer therapy comprising a chemical drug.  
   
   
       21 - 23 . (canceled)